Sharia courts review branded a 'whitewash' over appointment 'bias' concernsConcerns have been raised about the sharia court review before it has even begun

Theresa May's review of sharia courts has been branded a "whitewash" before it has even begun, with more than 200 individuals and human rights groups signing an open letter urging her to dismantle the panel chosen to oversee the inquiry.

They claim that by appointing an Islamic scholar as chair and placing two imams in advisory roles, the panel's ability to make an impartial assessment of how religious arbitration is used to the detriment of women's rights will be seriously compromised.

Signatories include Gita Sahgal, the director of Centre for Secular Space and a former head of Amnesty International's gender unit, the playwright Julia Pascal and the Iranian-born human rights activist, Maryam Namazie.